Upholstery material



FeB. 16, 1943.

J; R. MILLAR UPHOLSTERY MATERIAL Filed Feb. l5, 1939 ATTORNEYS INVENIOR LAR Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UPHOLSTERY MATERIAL Y John R. Millar, Reno, Nev., assigner to National Automotive Fibres, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a cor-l poration of Delaware Application February l13, 1939, serial No. 256,191

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to Van upholstery product and more particularly to a stuffed .pleated upholstery characterized by composite seams.

It has in the past been proposed to form pleats in upholstery material comprising opposed fabrics, and to insert or otherwise provide padding material in the pleats thus formed. Pleats have been provided by sewing seams straight through the fabrics, by nesting the fabrics to provide seam ridges which were subsequently sewed transversely, or by any other modied sewed seams. Efforts have been made to render the sewed seams attractive in appearance and to this end seams have been formed in various decorative designs. This has been done in some instances by interrupting a seam and connecting it by diagonal seams to adjacent seams.

Mention is made of this to call attention to the fact that it has long been an aim and object in the art to provide seams which combine practical utility with a decorative or attractive appearance. According to the teachings of the present invention, a composite seam is formed, and by this I refer to a seam which is the result of a special vulcanized bonding and a sewing operation.

The vulcanized bond, briefly described, results from the interposition of a narrow strip of un' cured rubberous material between and directly abutting the opposed fabrics which go to make up the upholstery material. The padding material which fills the pleats thus formed, is introduced either before, during, or after either seam forming operation. One or both of the fabrics, along the stripof rubberous material, are then deformed by the application of heat and pressure to produce an ornamental design, and at the same time a permanent vulcanized bond is produced between the fabrics. I

One or more sewed seams are then provided, located and organized relative to the design previously formed so as to cooperate therewith and -contribute to the ornamental appearance of the composite seam. The sewed seam. may be provided centrally along the band which will, in such case, be formed symmetrically to its centrali portion. Alternately, a pair of sewed seams may be provided along the edges of the formed band, either through the edges of the rubberous strip, or just beyond the edges of said strip. rIn any case, the sewing is designed tocontribute to the appearance of the band as a whole, and in addition, it cooperates to strengthen the seam. As is known, a sewed seam after long wear sometimes tears through a fabric, or the thread forming the seam becomes broken. In my improved arrangement, the sewed seam strengthens the vulcanized bond, and in like manner the vulcanized bond takes much of the strain from the sewed seam and lengthens its effectiveness.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a composite sewed and vulcanized seam.

It is la further object of the present invention to form upholstery material having a composite seam of the type set forth.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide stuffed pleated upholstery having pleats provided by a composite seam as set forth herein. f

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decorative seam formed by a vulcanized bond in which at least one fabric is vulcanized into a pleasing design, and a sewed seam in combination therewith, cooperating therewith to enhance the appearance, and in which the sewed and vulcanized bond mutually support each other.

Other objects of the invention will be 'apparent as the description proceeds, and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an upholstery element embodying my present invention;

Figs. 2 to 4 are fragmentary sections through diierent composite seams all embodying my in'- vention; and A Figs. 5 to 8 are enlarged fragmentary top elevations of different illustrative composite seams embodying my invention.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated my invention as applied to upholstery material of the type adapted for use in automotive seats and backs although it is capable of application in many fields, as is evident.

The cushion indicated generally at I comprises a sheet I I of backing material, and a sheet I2 of trim or upholstery material. Composite seams I4 are provided forming or defining intervening pleats, 4and the pleats are stuffed or lled with padding material which may be cotton or other material of like or similar properties.

The seams I4 present an attractive appearance due to ridges or risers I5 which preferably are symmetrically disposed to one or more rows of sewing I6. In order to provide the risersIS, a thin ply I'I of rubberous material, in the form of a narrow strip, is interleaved between fabrics II and I2, and has at least one surface deformed'to provide riser portions I8 of resilient rubberous material. The rubber strip is permanently vulcanized to both fabrics II and` I2`- w It is desired to emphasizefat this time that the -rnaterial I 'I is la strong but flexible*rubber.V

It'is-elastic, and in use, as will be evident, will stretch and permit strain to be placed on the sewed seam. Due to its resiliency however, it

The vulcanized bond has been found to be permanent for all practicaly purposes, and I have thus provided an article which is at once more durable as well as more attractive in appearance than was previously known.

In Fig. 2 the fabrics II and I2 are interconnected by rubber strip I '1, risers I5 being provided by corresponding beads or risers I 8 being formed in strip I7. Padding I3 is provided between adjacent seams. A line of sewing I6 is intermediate risers I5, symmetrically placed thereto, and adapted at once to enhance the appearance of the composite seam and to strengthen the same.

In Fig. 3 the fabrics IIa and IZa have interleaved padding material Isa, and the seam has beads or risers l|511 and sewed seams I 6d. The rubber strip I'Ia has beads or risers I 8a formed therein and is vulcanized to the fabrics. In this ligure two rows of stitching I a are provided adjacent to and passing through the strip I'Ia.

Thearrangement of Fig. 4 is similar, fabrics IIb and |26 having padding material I3?) received in the pleats, and having risers or beads Ib. The sewing is provided in two seams Ib, in this case just beyond the edge of the strip IIb.

In Fig. 5 the fabric I2C is shown in elevation and has straight risers ISC. The sewing ISC is intermediate risers IEC, and the composite seam is symmetrical about the line of sewing lc.

A somewhat different arrangement is shown in Fig. 6, in which the fabric I 2d is decorated and secured to the other fabric by parallel lines of sewing Idd. Between lines ld, discrete beads or risers IQd are provided by appropriate deformation of the rubber strip (not shown). In this case the sewed seams Id may be through the rubber strip or not, as desired and as illustrated respectively in Figs. 3 and 4. y

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate further decorative effects, the fabrics I2e and I 2f bearing straight risers |56 and I'f, discrete risers ISe and I9f, and central sewed seams ISe and I6f respectively.

In Figs. 2 to 8, it is to be recalled that the beads or risers in the cloth are due to corresponding beads 0r risers formed in the rubber strip, and that in all cases the fabrics are vulcanized to the fabrics.

It will be understood that the designs shown are merely illustrative and that any arbitrary or fanciful design may be adopted.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A stuffed, pleated cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said-cover fabric formed to provide pleat fullnesses, padding material in said pleat fullnesses, said fabrics being united along lines intermediate said pleat fullnesses, strips cf flexible rubber along said lines vulcanized to both said fabrics, and sewed seams extending along said strips.

2. A stuffed, pleated cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric formed to provide pleat fullnesses, padding material in said pleat fullnesses, said fabrics being united along lines intermediate said pleat fullnesses, strips of flexible rubber along said lines vulcanized to both said fabrics, the faces of said strips being formed into decorative designs, and said cover fabric conforming to said designs, and

sewed seams extending along said strips.

3. A stuffed, pleated cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric formed to provide pleat fullness, padding material in said pleat fullness, said fabrics being united along lines adjacent said pleat fullness, a strip of flexible rubber along said lines vulcanized to bo-th said fabrics, the face o-f said strip being formed into a decorative design, and said cover fabric conforming to said design, and a sewed seam extending along said strip, said sewed seam extending through said strip.

4. A stuffed, pleated cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric formed to provide pleat fullnesses, padding material in said pleat fullnesses, said fabrics being united along a line intermediate said pleat fullnesses, a strip of flexible rubber along said line vulcanized to both said fabrics, the face of said strip being formed into a decorative design, and said cover fabric conforming to said design, and a sewed seam extending through said strip and symmetrically located with respect to said design.

5. A stuffed, pleated cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric formed to provide pleat fullness, padding material in said pleat fullness, said fabrics being united along a line adjacent said pleat fullness, a strip of flexible rubber along said line vulcanized to both said fabrics, the face of said strip being formed into a decorative design, and said cover fabric conforming to said design, and a pair of sewed seams extending through said strip adjacent the edges thereof.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a stuffed pleated upholstery cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric being formed to provide with said backing fabric a plurality of Ypleat fullnesses, padding material in said `pleat fullnesses, said fabrics being united along lines intermediate said pleat fullnesses, strips of flexible rubber along said lines located between said fabrics and vulcanized to both of said fabrics, said strips of rubber being of sufficient thickness to receive a substantial embossment and being embossed on the surface adjacent said cover fabric, said cover fabric overlying said strips conforming to said embossment so as to exhibit a decorative design, and sewed seams uniting said fabrics and extending through said strips of rubber.

'7. As a new article of manufacture, a stuffed pleated upholstery cushion comprising a cover fabric, a backing fabric, said cover fabric being formed to provide with said backing fabric a plurality of pleat fullnesses, padding material in said pleat fullnesses, said fabrics being united along lines intermediate said pleat fullnesses, strips of flexible rubber along said lines located between said fabrics and vulcanized to both of said fabrics, said strips of rubber being of substantial thickness, and sewed seams uniting said fabrics and extending through said strips of rubber.

JOI-IN R. MILLAR. 

